Saturday, May 19, 2007

Recently you heard from Mark and read about his journey in our move to Brazil.This week I (Ali) am taking my turn.As people have become familiar with our upcoming plans, I have had several friends comment to me about “how happy you must be to be going home”…and yes, I am! Although I have always desired to move back home, I would like to share the tension that I have lived in as God has brought me to this point of calling.

In my time here in the USI have lived through an incredible array and depth of experiences: I have encountered a church family that adopted me fresh off the Brazil boat and fell in love with my country; I have studied at an amazing University and earned a degree under professors who exemplified to me a life of Godly wisdom and charisma; at school I formed friendships with wonderful men and women of God whom have many times been His presence and comfort in my life; I have had the chance to travel and study in Europe and fall in love with the cultures and people of far lands; I have met and married my favorite person; I have moved cross country to – hands down – the coldest place I will ever settle, and here have fallen in love with my Kaiser side, who carried me through my first depressing northern winter; I have also fallen in love with Buckeye football and fans; I have watched as Mark and I minister together to a youth group who has forever changed my life.

And after living through seven full American years, I have occasionally hesitantly stripped down to blunt honesty and asked myself “is Brazil home anymore?” and “why should I go back”?But the wrestling match seems to only last as long as I allow myself to question God and His passion in my heart for ministry to people. So when I am still and my hip has been wrenched (Genesis 32), I am convicted that there is great purpose for us in Brazil.

For those of you who have been to Brazil with me, I hope you can attest to this: there is something deep in my core that resonates beautifully with my culture and my people. There is an easiness to connect and minister to the lost and to the found in my own language and expressions and climate =) .

And how humbling to be invited back by my very own home church! These friends, whom have become family, have seen me through most of my journey to this point (the good, the bad and the ugly) and have recognized in me a God given passion to minister and serve. Either that or I have been redeemed since they met Mark.

So please know that moving home does not mean choosing the path of least resistance in my life. It means following a passion and calling that I will not choose to ignore.

We are very excited about taking up the ministries we have been invited to lead!These include leading the youth group, directing a ministry for young married couples, establishing an internship program, and a social work ministry that the church would like us to launch to help the unemployed in the community.

I have always loved working with youth.The years in which kids establish their own identities are incredibly crucial for developing a relationship with Christ.This importance is heightened in the Itu church where many of the high school members are the first Christians in their families.Many times it is through their faith that their families are reached.

Also we will be establishing an internship program for high school graduates and college students to come and work for the church.We will also host short term mission campaigns, an opportunity for your family.Mark’s life was changed forever when he took a year off before college and served the Lord in Nepal.Our internship program will offer a similar but more structured opportunity for young adults kids to get hands on experience in ministry.We know the church will be blessed by the work of those who come to serve, and our interns and short term campaigners will experience the power of being used by God to share His good news!

You have heard our stories now.However, do not just read our letters!We are holding many home gathering where we will be sharing our hearts, ministry opportunities, and transition needs more intimately.We will need the help of those who would like to partner with us in prayer and finances to make this all happen.Please call us for directions to any of the gatherings, or to set one up that works for you. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Recently Ali and I offered an introduction to the life changing move that we are preparing for.We want you to know why we are moving to Brazil (short answer: we have been captivated by what the Lord is doing!), so what follows is the story of how my (Mark) life has come to this point.Ali will write next and share her story, and then we will delve into explaining the work that we are being called on to do.

I remember my first experience of working in a ministry setting.It was at a summer camp - I was more there for fun than for the ministry.But the experience I had in that camp changed me to the core.As a camp counselor one of my duties was to lead nightly devotionals with my kids.I had never done this, so I prayed about it and tried to find the best way to share the Faith with my kids.But here is what I didn’t expect:

~When I stepped out in faith to share the good news of Jesus, God used me! ~

Powerful statement! Let me explain: I often didn’t know quite what to share, but God spoke through me and drew my campers to Him!Interacting in such an intimate way with the Almighty blew me away!Now let me add, I am not unique.He wants to use us all to bring those around us back to Him.But be aware, this interaction with God is addictive.

From this point forward all other ventures paled in comparison to the wonder of being used by God to help others reconnect with Him.As I have served in various ministries since then I have found myself in this dependency; I cannot find fulfillment any other way.When serving God, I love life!When I hold back, I am empty.

My relationship with the church in Itu, Brazil (pictured) has been developed through visits made to see Ali’s family while we were in college and since.Last summer, along with our youth group, Ali and I served with the Itu church by directing evangelistic camp in Brazil. I have seen the amazing work of the Lord there as families who have never had a personal faith have responded to His Word and became active members in that faith community!Out of this response to the gospel, the church has cultivated leaders and sent them out to establish five church plants in the region while the ministry in Itu continues to grow. Antenor has launched a national TV and radio ministry and is heavily involved in teaching and discipling in gatherings throughout the country.

With all of their growth, they have found themselves in this blessed position: the growth of the body has surpassed what the leadership can cultivate.Ali and I are presented with two blessings here.First, we get to jump into a life of ministry in a setting that has God’s finger prints all over it.We are going to be joining Him in the work He is already doing!And second, we will be under the mentorship of Antenor and Phyllis, who have been faithful servants of God’s work in Itu for many years.In time we may raise up leaders in Itu to take our place of leadership as we move on to plant another church or ministry, but I am convinced that the wisdom and experience we will gain in Itu will serve us forever.

We hope and pray that those of you who identify with our calling will desire to team with us and help bring this mission about.Raising our support team is a big process, and we cannot live out our calling independent from help of the Body.

Below is a list of some small group gatherings being scheduled on our calendar referenced by the hosts.We want to share our mission with you personally and we pray that through this process, God might snag your heart as he did ours and our mission will become your mission.Thanks to those of you who have already volunteered to host one of these gatherings!If you would like to host a group with your friends, send an email or give us a call. We look forward to speaking with you further; please feel free to contact us with any thoughts.

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

On your screen is the effect of a big life change.We have never written a letter like this before… Ali and I are starting a major new venture in our lives and hope you will allow us to share our plans and our passion with you.

In this past year the elders of the church in Itu, Brazil (Ali’s home town), have asked us to come help develop their ministries.This church of about 250 members is the result of an overwhelming response to the gospel. The leaders have not been able to keep up with tending to the growth of the body.Ali and I will be stepping into very active roles of discipleship, teaching, and training.

We are presently transitioning the leadership of our church youth group into the hands of another couple, and we hope funding will be in place for us to move to Brazil this summer.Our financial support will mainly come from individual sponsors who identify with our mission.In coming weeks we will be meeting with churches and groups of individuals to share about the ministries that we will be undertaking in a setting that will allow you to dialog with us.After we have had time to share our vision with you, we will then be asking for partnership in our ministry.We will not be able to do what is being asked of us without your help.

Next week you should receive a schedule for some of these initial gatherings.We would love for you to join us in one of these informal sessions and learn more about our vision.We hope to develop a support team of individuals who, once familiar with our mission, would desire an ongoing partnership with our work through prayer, long and short term finances, and mission trips.

The schedule will be preliminary.We are interested in holding these meetings with many families.If you are interested in hosting a gathering in your home, please let us know.We look forward to traveling to meet with some of you as well.

In the following weeks you will be receiving letters with further information regarding our plans.We hope that you will keep us in mind and in your prayers as we initiate our fundraising process.The letters we are going to send out will detail topics such as the church in Itu, our ministries and our transition.

This work is our passion, and we are excited to be sharing our passion with you.Thank you and God bless.